When the Truth Came Out
by HOTTERTHNU
Summary: What if Theresa was hiding something else? Ryan learns the truth and it uncovers some hidden feelings


When the Truth Came Out  
  
Disclaimer: Fox owns the O.C.  
  
A/N: Just an idea I had...tell me if you want me to continue...but I meant this as a one-parter. Hope you like it!  
  
Summary: What if Theresa was hiding something else? Ryan learns the truth and it uncovers some hidden feelings in his heart.  
  
As Ryan opened his eyes, his heart lifted. Last night had seemed like a dream. Theresa was still sleeping, looking angelic—well, as angelic as a Chino girl like her could. She was the answer to Ryan's prayers, after the whole Oliver thing. But what was that feeling in his heart? Oh yeah, Theresa was engaged. To Ryan's old friend, Eddie. In Chino, life was a game of backstabbing and cheating. But Ryan had never been the type to do it to his close friends.  
  
Ryan tried to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. He leaned over and kissed Theresa on the forehead. She didn't move. Theresa had always been a deep sleeper, and Ryan was happy for that. Things were so much easier when she was sleeping. He let his head fall back on the pillow and fell back asleep.  
  
"Ryan," Theresa murmured, kissing him hard on the mouth.  
  
"Hey," Ryan smiled. How long had he been sleeping? He leaned over to kiss Theresa back, but suddenly she threw the blanket off and ran to the bathroom. "Theresa?" Ryan called out, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. No response. He walked into the bathroom and saw Theresa throwing up in the toilet. "Are you okay?"  
  
Theresa held up a finger. She finished throwing up and rinsed her mouth with water from the sink. Her face was pale and Ryan expected her to run back to the toilet any second now.  
  
"Ryan, we need to talk." Theresa sat down on the bed, and Ryan followed suit.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ryan asked. He hoped she wasn't bulimic like Marissa used to be. He hated that Marissa would make herself sick when she was upset. At least she didn't do it anymore. Hold on. What was he doing thinking about Marissa? He had Theresa...well, he was sleeping with her. Marissa was supposed to be yesterday's news.  
  
"Ryan, I'm pregnant," Theresa bit her lip. Should she tell him who the father was, or just let him assume? Things would certainly be easier for her if he assumed. Then again, his life would be totally screwed up. And hadn't they promised each other when they were younger that they would make something of themselves? If Theresa lied, Ryan would have no future.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Ryan stared at her, his eyes practically boring a hole in her skull. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. Not now. Not when his life was just starting to settle down.  
  
Theresa knew what she had to do. She couldn't leave him hanging like this. Not when he had this perfect life lined up. And not when she didn't love him. Sure, she liked the idea of being in love with him. But it wasn't love. Love was what she saw when Ryan looked at Marissa. Ryan didn't know what true love was, even when it stared him straight in the face.  
  
"It's Eddie's," Theresa said quietly.  
  
Ryan's eyes flared. What the hell was Theresa trying to pull? She must've known for quite some time. And yet she led him on, making love to him...no wait, it wasn't "love", rather, sex. For the longest time, Ryan had associated love with sex. Thanks to Theresa, Ryan could see that it was definitely not the same thing.  
  
He could see right through her now. He could see her for what she was: worthless white trash, a young teen mother who would marry an abusive guy and spend her whole life unhappy. Fuck her.  
  
She had probably been trying to pawn the baby off on Ryan. Probably had sex with him so she could say it was his. Maybe that would work on the lowlifes that the pair had grown up with. Not this one.  
  
"You're disgusting. Don't ever talk to me again," Ryan spat. He threw on his wifebeater and grabbed his navy blue button down shirt.  
  
All those thoughts of Marissa before, they were warning signs. She was the real deal, the love Ryan had associated with sex and with Theresa. He hoped he wasn't too late to get her back. Thank God for Theresa, Ryan had to admit. If she hadn't been such a...Ryan didn't know what, but if she hadn't done what she did, Ryan would've let the best thing that happened to him slip away. But he wasn't going to let any more come between him and Marissa.  
  
As he turned the doorknob, Theresa grabbed his arm. "Wait," she pleaded.  
  
Ryan slowly turned. "Wait? For what? For you to feed me more lies? For you to let Eddie beat me up because you're confused about your future?"  
  
Theresa opened her mouth to respond, but Ryan wasn't done. "You know what? I love Marissa. Thanks for helping me realize it."  
  
Tears began to drip down Theresa's face. "Ryan, you don't understand."  
  
Ryan whipped around, to see Theresa for what he hoped would be the last time. "No, maybe you don't understand. I'm leaving before I blow my last chance with the girl I love. Eddie's too good for you, but maybe you should find him. You might remember him as the father of your child." "Ryan," Theresa called again, but he was gone. Damn it, Theresa thought. She could've said it was Ryan's. But where would that leave her? Eddie would probably beat Ryan to a pulp, the Cohen's would kick him out, and he would end up with a useless piece of shit like her. No, that wasn't fair to him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ryan. What are you doing here?" Jimmy Cooper opened the door to his apartment. It was 8 AM on a Saturday. Most teenagers were still sleeping. It surprised him to see the blue-eyed boy who caused his daughter so much heartbreak.  
  
"Where's Marissa?" Ryan's eyes darted past Jimmy and into the apartment. "She's with you this weekend, right?"  
  
"Still sleeping. You can go see her though. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you when she wakes up," Jimmy said, leading Ryan into his apartment.  
  
"Thanks, Mr. Cooper," Ryan said, hurrying into Marissa's room, where, sure enough, she was sleeping. Her face looked troubled. Ryan hoped he would be able to help her once she woke up.  
  
Jimmy shook his head as he watched the sandy-haired teen disappear into Marissa's room. He felt so bad when Marissa came crying to him every night. He tried to give her advice, but, quite frankly, he'd never had to deal with boy issues with Marissa before. She and Luke had been the perfect couple for so long that he didn't know how to deal with her new heartbreak.  
  
Marissa woke up to darkness. Something was blocking the sunlight, which she woke up to every morning. She could make out a form that definitely wasn't her father's. Squinting, she saw the figure come and sit on her bed. He stroked her head and she knew; it had to be him. The familiar cologne, the gentle touch.  
  
"Ryan?" Marissa's voice was shaky and unsure.  
  
"We have to talk," Ryan answered. He lay down on the bed next to Marissa and laced his fingers through hers.  
  
"Um, won't Theresa be mad that you're here?" Marissa asked. What was Ryan trying to pull? Marissa loved him, but she sure wasn't going to compete with Theresa, if that's what Ryan wanted.  
  
"Theresa who?" Ryan said, getting a smile from Marissa. "I love you," he added, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.  
  
Marissa's heart skipped. She could've sworn it stopped beating. "What?"  
  
"Please take me back. I need you. I was a stupid ass, and I only want to be with you," Ryan pleaded. Marissa couldn't help but go weak in the knees as his watery blue eyes met hers.  
  
"I don't know," Marissa said seriously. Her heart jumped again when she saw Ryan's face fall.  
  
"I knew I was too late," Ryan muttered. "I should've forgiven you when you wanted me to. Sorry."  
  
"Ryan," Marissa interrupted. "I love you. I want to be with you too."  
  
"I might not be able to forget what happened, but I just need to know that you'll trust me from now on."  
  
"I will. I promise. And I need to know that you won't run off with someone from your past at the first sign of trouble."  
  
Ryan sealed the deal with a kiss. His lips fit with Marissa's, just like the missing piece of a puzzle. As his tongue explored her mouth, his mind was on one thing and one thing only: Marissa. With Theresa, Marissa was constantly on his mind. He couldn't even remember who Theresa was when he was with Marissa. He broke away from their kiss momentarily.  
  
Marissa sat up. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing. I just can't get over you. You're perfect. Everything I've ever wanted," Ryan grinned sheepishly.  
  
Marissa kissed Ryan again, ignoring her dad winking at her as he closed the door to her bedroom.  
  
This is what I want  
  
This is what I need This is exactly what I've been waiting for -Autopilot Off 


End file.
